Pencil-holder.



A. B. BLY.

PENCIL HOLDER.

APPLICATION I'ILED mm: 1. 1909,

968,529. Patented Aug. 30, 1910 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT B. BLY, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

PENCIL-HOLDER.

AppIication filed June 1, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. BLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Pencil-Holder, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of simple, durable, and inexpensive construction designed to hold a pencil and to form a knife guide so that the operator may, by the use of my invention and an ordinary knife, readily, easily, and quickly form a smooth and uniform point on a pencil or the like, and also to provide a device of this kind that may be used as a pencil holder and placed in the users pocket and there firmly held with a pencil contained therein.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind as an attachment for a pencil which may be used as an aid in performing mathematical calculations such as the addition of a long list of numbers.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a device embodying my invention. The dotted line therein shows the position of the pencil point therein ready for being sharpened. Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a modified form of the invention in which the pencil sharpening feature is omitted. Fig. 3 shows a detail, sectional view of the modified form shown in Fig. 2, and also the adjacent portions of an apparel pocket with the pencil holder therein and in position where it may be easily detached, and Fig. 4 shows a similar view with the pencil holder in the position in the pocket in which it can not be detached.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the device comprises a body portion formed complete of a single piece of spring metal and having two parallel sides 10. The ends of the piece of metal of which the sides are formed are inclined inwardly at 11 toward each other and each is provided at its end with a substantially V-shaped notch 12 having sharpened edges. Secured to one of said sides adjacent to the free end is a limiting Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

Serial No. 499,299.

device 13 having its ends overlapping the opposite side at 14 to limit the movement of the sides outwardly away from each other.

Formed near the central portion of each side are two inwardly projecting lugs 15 so arranged as to form substantially V-shaped openings between them. One edge of each side 10 between the lugs 15 and the central portion of the piece of metal of which the sides are formed is inclined at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the device to form knife guiding edges 16. The opposite edges of the sides are each provided with a series of notches 17, said notches being numbered consecutively from the outer end of the sides to a point adjacent to the inner end thereof.

Fixed to one of the sides is a spring 18 so arranged that when the device is placed in an apparel pocket, the spring may be placed on the outside of the pocket and the pencil holder and sharpener on the inside, and then the holder may be turned to position with the adjacent notched edge in engagement with the material of the apparel pocket in the manner shown in Fig. 4, to thereby form a secure attachment of the holder to the ,wearers pocket.

In practical use, it is obvious that a pencil point may be placed between the springing sides through the V-shaped portions 12 and between the lugs 15, and the said springing sides will hold the pencil in such a manner as to form a protector or guard for the pencil point. Assuming that it is desired to use the device as a pencil sharpener, the operator grasps the device in one hand and holds the sides thereof together with his fingers in such a manner that the sharpened blades 12 will hold the pencil against longitudinal movement. He then uses an ordinary knife with the other hand and utilizes the guide edges 16 on which to rest the knife blade. After each knife cut, the pencil is turned a part revolution in the holder so that when the operation has been continued for a sufficient length of time, a point will be formed on the pencil absolutely uniform on all sides. Furthermore, there will be substantially no danger of breaking the point because the point is held out of contact with the holder, the function of the blades 12 being to prevent the pencil from striking against the end of the holder.

When it is desired to use the device to aid in making mathematical calculations such, for instance, as the addition of a column of figures, the operator places a pencil in the device and allows the end of the pencil to project beyond the doubled, central portion of the device and he holds the device in his hand in such a manner that the index finger on the hand holding the pencil and holder will be arranged with the finger nail resting in the notch number One. Assuming that the numbers to be added together are 8, 7, and 6, then the operator, by adding together the first numbers 8 and 7, finds that the total is 15. He then makes mental note of the last digit 5 and retains his finger nail in the notch number One. Then he adds together the 5 and the next number 6, the total of which is 11. He then remembers the last digit and moves his finger nail into the second notch number Two. This arrangement may be carried on indefinitely and each time that the sum amounts to more than 9, he moves his finger nail backwardly to the next notch. Therefore, at any time, the op erator may get the total by noting in what notch his finger nail is resting and putting down the corresponding digit together with the last digit of the total which he has carried in his mind. In the instance above given, an examination of the device would show that his finger nail was resting in notch number Two, and that the last digit which he carried in his mind was 1, so that the total of the sum above mentioned is 21.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 2, I have shown a device intended only for use as a holder, the pencil sharpener feature being omitted. The device comprises atubular body portion 19 having one longitudinal edge 20 turned outwardly and provided with notches consecutively numbered for the purpose of making mathematical calculations as before described.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a body portion formed of a single piece of sheet metal in tubular form with one edge provided with a radially extended flange, said flange being provided with notches, consecutively arranged numbers adjacent to said notches and a flat spring fixed at one end to the edge portion of the part opposite from the notched flange, arranged and combined, substantially in the manner set forth, and for the purposes stated.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a body portion formed of a single piece of sheet metal designed to receive a pencil, and having one edge formed with a radially extended flange, said flange being notched and said notches being consecutively numbered, and a flat spring fixed at one end to the body portion and extended longitudinally of the body portion adjacent to said notched flange to coact with the notched flange in holding the device in an apparel pocket.

Des Moines, Iowa, May 20, 1909.

ALBERT B. BLY.

WVitnesses N. M. TAYLOR, MILDRED B. GoLDIzEN. 

